If I Could Think Clearly
by crazyforhousemd
Summary: Chase and Cameron lead separate lives at the ending of the series finale "Everybody Dies". But fate intervences and brings them together.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I was unhappy with how things ended for Chameron in House MD so I decided to write my own ending. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: All the characters belong to House MD and FOX**

* * *

Chapter 1: 4:12

* * *

The day seemed to drag on. Chase grabbed the red and gray oversized tennis ball on his desk and began to bounce it against the wall. Just like House used to do. Although Adams and Park were exceptionally bright fellows, solving cases was harder without House. He tried to think, hearing the soft thumps the ball made as it hit the wall. Chase began to think about the first time he stepped foot in this very office. His father had told him about a diagnostic fellowship position in New Jersey. He never thought that 10 years later he would be the head of the very same department.

As Chase drifted off into another string of memories, the silhouette of a woman standing in front of him interrupted his thoughts.

"Chase, the patient's time of death was at 4:12 p.m."

He stood up and looked at Adams, "Go tell the family. I'm going to head home now. See you and Park tomorrow."

She nodded and quickly left. He let out the breath he didn't know he had been holding. The brunette beauty intrigued him. Her passion and dedication toward her patients seemed all too familiar. For weeks he had contemplated on how to ask her out. He was her boss now. It seemed inappropriate to date an employee. But this made Chase even more attracted to Adams. He knew it was finally time to move on.

It was nearly ten o'clock at night by the time Chase arrived at his condo's front door. He put his leftovers from dinner in the fridge and sat down on the couch with cold beer. He could hear the soft howling of the wind from the open window. The condo seemed too big for just one person. Some days he would spend the night with a woman's legs wrapped around his body. He never knew the girls. Never asked for their names and never asked them to stay for more than a nightly pleasure.

Other days, Chase would sit alone and wonder what his life would have been like if he had not acted upon a sudden rage and decided to murder the vicious dictator. Though he did not regret his actions, he missed her. The cold and lonely nights had caught up to him. He would dream of a tiny pair of feet running across the living room. He wanted to have the chance to record every birthday party and help with every school project. He imagined family vacations in the sunny beaches of Australia. But he knew it didn't matter because they were just dreams. It was time to slip back into reality.

* * *

Cameron looked at her watch. 4:12. Twelve minutes past her shift. She had spent the last half hour reminiscing about her time on House's team.

"Allison!"

Cameron looked up to see her fiancé with her son in a stroller. She closed her laptop and went to greet the both of them with a kiss. It had been a long day and she wanted nothing more to go home and cuddle with her two loves.

During the car ride home Cameron self-consciously played with her new ring. The last time she wore a ring had been 3 years ago. A lot had changed since then. She turned to face her fiancé and looked into his hazel brown eyes.

"You know I love you right?"

"I know. Why? Is something wrong?" he sounded worried.

"Nothing, just wanted to say it to you." She didn't have a reason say it. She did love him or she wouldn't have said yes. She missed the exciting days in New Jersey. There was nothing better than coming home from working at Princeton-Plainsboro with the feeling of satisfaction. As head of the emergency department in Chicago General, Cameron came home drained.

As they pulled up to the driveway, Cameron turned around to look at her son. His eyes were closed and she could see his small body rising up and down. At five months old he was tiny but still lively. She loved nothing more than waking up in the morning to see his beautiful blue eyes. His eyes were like the ocean, iridescent and flecked with every shade of blue.

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: All the characters belong to House MD and FOX**

* * *

Chapter 2: The Phone Call

* * *

Cameron woke up to the loud crying of her son. She groaned and got out of bed to prepare milk. For the past five months, she woke up numerous times throughout the night to change diapers and swaddle her son. She slipped on her robe and glanced at her fiancé. The man sure could sleep through the night, especially with the baby wailing. Cameron pulled the covers over the soundly snoring man and headed toward the kitchen. She yawned as she measured the milk and set it in the microwave to warm. The sudden silence hit her. How long had her son stopped crying? This was new. Her motherly senses quickly informed her something was wrong.

Shouting her son's name, she ran to the baby's bedroom and found a blue faced little boy. He was suffocating. She frantically started to administer CPR. Her fiancé was suddenly up and on the phone. But it was too late. She could feel the last of the heat escape from her child. Cameron looked at his eyes one last time. Never again would she see those beautiful blue eyes.

* * *

Chase woke up with a jolt. Immediately he sensed he was late for work and the clock on his phone confirmed this. He pulled on his freshly ironed pants and popped a bagel in his mouth determined not to be late. Although he was the head of his department, Chase believed in setting a better example for his fellows. As he locked the door to his condo he heard the delightful screams of his neighbor's daughters. Grace had moved in with her three daughters two years ago after her divorce. Chase had spent countless nights babysitting the girls when Grace worked late. When Grace came home and the girls were asleep, he was rewarded in the bedroom. But it never went further than a session of hot sex. They never went on dates, never sat on the couch and talk for hours. She was simply a neighbor…with benefits.

The girls' squealing made Chase think about Taub's daughters, Sophie and Sophia. Taub had left the fellowship program and returned to his plastic surgery practice. Having kids had changed Taub. He was no longer the short, sexually charged man sleeping with nurses half his age. Instead Taub was a successful plastic surgeon with two beautiful daughters. Chase envied Taub's professional and personal success. Chase longed for a child of his own but he first needed to find someone to live up to the standard of a certain Allison Cameron.

Chase stepped into his office a minute late. Park had already made the coffee and Adams was flipping through folders trying to find a new case. Adams. Even the sound of her name gave him chills. Jessica. Jessica. Jessica Adams. But as her boss he knew he should not ask her on a date. She was just as divorced as he was. She had a good heart and a good reason to practice medicine.

"Adams"

"Oh good morning Chase. None of these cases are interesting. I was just about to go check the ER to see if the attending had something for us."

For once Chase was at a loss for words. When did it become so hard to talk to her? Before he could open his mouth to speak again she was gone. He turned to face Park and found her staring at him.

"Don't just stand there looking like that, go help Adams."

"You like her don't you?" Park had an amused look on her face and she quickly slipped out the door.

Chase turned beet red at Park's words. Was it really that obvious? He started to think about Allison. He had been thinking about her lately. Chase knew Cameron was going to get married again. She had invited him to her wedding. He knew she had a kid with the most beautiful blue eyes. He missed her. No matter how many women he invited into his bed, he only longed for the one he was married to three years ago. He remembered how she used to put her arm around him in the middle of the night. He remembered the nights she forced him to watch cheesy romance movies and he would have to excuse himself to secretly cry in the bathroom. He remembered her laugh when he told her he didn't know how to use chopsticks. Chase remembered her. Lost in thought, Chase didn't hear Adams come in.

"Chase I found us a case. An 8 year old patient had a heart attack while swimming. EKG and echo was inconclusive."

"8 year olds don't get heart attacks. Go talk to the parents and get a complete history. Tell Park to run another echo."

Adams left the room and Chase was alone again. He got up and headed towards the clinic. Chase never understood why the Dean of Medicine's office was in the clinic. He pulled the door open to Foreman's office and found the dean of medicine polishing his shoes.

"Foreman, what are you doing?"

"Polishing my shoes, I have a date tonight."

Chase was shocked. "Is it that married woman from the bar?" Chase emphasized the word married.

Foreman blushed. "No, guess again."

"I'm not going to guess, come on just tell me."

"Starts with a T, ends with a hirteen."

Thirteen was back? This was news to Chase. The last time he saw her, she turned down his request for sex. House had mentioned her before he passed away that Thirteen was on some Greek island having sweet lesbian sex with her girlfriend.

"Thirteen is back? That's great that you guys are finally trying again. I was going to ask if you wanted to go for drinks tonight but looks like you're going to be busy."

"Have you ever asked Adams out on a date?" Foreman questioned.

"What? No, I can't date an employee." Chase was taken aback. How did Foreman figure out he liked Adams. By this rate the whole hospital would find out by lunchtime tomorrow.

"Who said you can't date an employee? I sure as hell didn't." Foreman grinned as Chase turned to leave. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

Cameron sat huddled in a corner on her couch. Her hands and feet were cold. She could feel her eyes swollen to the size of watermelons. Her son was dead. She felt lost and alone. Cameron heard a voice call her name.

"Allison!"

Her fiancé was walking towards her but she didn't want to talk to him. There was only one person she wanted to talk to. Going through her contacts, Cameron found the number. He picked up on the second ring.

"Allison?"

"Robert, my son died today."

* * *

**Thank you for reading! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: All the characters belong to House MD and FOX**

* * *

Chapter 3: Tears of Sorrow

* * *

Chase stared at the caller ID on his ringing phone. It was strange for Allison to ever call him let alone while he was at work. He knew if she was calling him, it had to be urgent. His chest tightened. What if she was in danger? God forbid anything ever happen to her. Chase pressed the answer button.

"Allison?"

"Robert, my son died today."

He stiffened. A familiar sensation rushed through his mind. He was used to the feeling of death. He avoided forming relationships with his patients because he knew it would ultimately affect him if they died. Chase had never met Cameron's son, yet he was greatly affected by the child's imminent death. There was a moment of silence on the phone. Chase knew Cameron didn't care for words of comfort but he also knew staying silent would make matters worse.

"I'm sorry Allison. I'm very sorry. Is there anything I can do?"

There was silence on the other side of the phone. Chase had no idea what to expect. In the past Cameron was known to be deliberate and premeditated. But he also knew that death often caused her break down and act unconventionally. He stared at the ceiling while waiting for her reply. Why did she call him in the first place? She was recently engaged to some guy named Tom or Tim or something like that. Chase was 800 miles away from Cameron. It was irrational to call him for help. There was nothing he could do.

"Can you come to Chicago?"

Her response caused Chase to drop his phone.

* * *

The sound of his voice almost prevented Cameron from telling Chase that her son had died. It had been a long time since she had heard his soothing voice. There was something about his Australian accent that immediately calmed her down. There was a long pause after Cameron broke the news to Chase. She was scared that he would hang up and sever what was left of the friendship between them. This was all happening too fast. Her son has just died and now she was talking to someone she had once loved.

"I'm so sorry Allison. I'm very sorry. Is there anything I can do?"

She knew why she had called him. She knew what she wanted him to do. But it was a huge request for Chase. Cameron was unsure of what to say. But if she ever wanted to see him again she had to try. She gripped the blanket tightly wrapped around her. Cameron sensed her fiancé standing next to her. She must look like a mess. Her eyes were puffy from crying and her face was blotchy from the tears. She loved her fiancé but at this moment the only person she wanted was Chase. She gathered up her courage and let out her question.

"Can you come to Chicago?"

There was the sound of something dropping. Cameron looked at her fiancé. His face was beginning to harden in anger. She knew it was out of line to invite her ex-husband to their home but Cameron needed Robert.

"Of course Allison, anything for you. When do you want me to come?"

Cameron was shocked. This was not the answer she had been expecting.

"Can you come now?" Her voice was barely a whisper. She was unsure if Chase heard her. Though her son had just died, she couldn't help but fill her heart with joy when she heard Chase was coming.

"Yeah sure, sure. Let me tell Foreman. I'll call you when I land in Chicago."

Cameron began to silently cry again. Tears pooled around her eyes. Robert was coming. He was coming for her. After all they had been through he still cared for her. She hung up and turned to face her fiancé.

"What the hell Allison?! You can't just go inviting your old husband over because you're sad! You have me to comfort you. You don't need that kangaroo doctor to help you! I'm here for that."

Tears streamed down Cameron's face. Tim never yelled at her. She knew it was out of line to invite Chase over but this is what she wanted. Tim stared at her. And she stared back. She could see the anger in his brown eyes. His face was red with fury. This wasn't the man she fell in love with.

* * *

Foreman wasn't in his office when Chase walked in. It seemed like Foreman was never in his office anymore. In Chase's opinion, Foreman was no longer a real doctor. He was stuck in an office half the time and stuck in business meetings the other half. Chase could never give up his duties as a physician. Ironically, his love for medicine was what caused him to lose his wife in the first place. His wife. Chase hadn't thought of those words in a long time. He sat down on Foreman's office couch and stared the wall décor. He wondered how things were going between Foreman and Thirteen now that they were seeing each other again.

"Dr. Foreman, have you seen Chase anywhere?"

Chase turned his head to see Adams walking in clutching several files in her arm. Her face was scrunched up reading one of the files in her arm. Chase guessed that she had yet to notice him sitting on Foreman's couch.

"I'm right here."

The brunette beauty looked up in surprise and dropped the files she was holding. Chase quickly got up to help her.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you there. Foreman's probably at another boring meeting trying to fight for a higher toilet paper budget," Chase smirked at his own joke. He picked up the remaining files and handed them to Adams. Damn she was beautiful. He wanted nothing more in that moment to caress her fine skin. Impulsively, he asked her out on a date.

"Adams, I mean Jessica, I know I'm your boss but would you like to go somewhere with me sometime?" Chase let out his question without thinking. He had been waiting for this moment since he returned to House's team after a year of surfing. The moment he saw her he wanted to take her to the nearest janitor's closet. Chase was definitely attracted to Adams. He stood there staring at her glowing face.

"I'm free next week." Adams smiled and turned to leave, shutting the door behind her. Chase couldn't help but grin. He just scored a date with the hottest woman in Princeton. He wasn't sure if he should bring her to a nice dinner or a picnic in the park. But he would have a whole week to decide. In the midst of all the grinning, Chase remembered the sole purpose of being in Foreman's office was to ask for leave to go to Chicago. He had asked Adams on a date instead of telling Foreman he had to go comfort his ex-wife after the loss of her child. Chase suddenly felt queasy. He heard the door open again and this time Foreman walked in.

"The last time I checked, the name on the door says Dr. Eric Foreman, Dean of Medicine. Not Dr. Robert Chase, Kangaroo of the Outback." Foreman's newfound sense of humor still made Chase uneasy. It was weird to see Foreman happy like this. Foreman was living his life. He had a ridiculously beautiful girlfriend, he no longer had to deal with difficult patients in the clinic, and all he had to do all day was sit and smile in a fancy suit.

"Very funny Foreman. I would like to ask for a leave of absence starting tomorrow." This got Foreman's attention.

"Leave of absence? Already? When will you be back?"

"I don't know. A week, maybe two weeks? Allison needs help in Chicago." Chase blushed when he said her name.

"Cameron? Chase please don't go down that road again. One day she loves you the next day she's packing her suitcase and running back. Chase, as a friend, move on." Foreman's words stung Chase. What would Foreman know about a relationship? He fired his own girlfriend for heaven sake.

"She just need some help. I'll be back soon. Defer all my cases to Princeton General and tell Park and Adams to do clinic duty or whatever you want boss."

"You better come back. Princeton needs a diagnostician, not Chicago." Chase saw a glimmer of humor in Foreman's eyes. He nodded and quickly left.

The drive to the airport felt longer than usual. Pressing hard and steady on the gas pedal, his thoughts shifted to Cameron. He had been thinking about her a lot recently. She had a new life now. He knew he would have no place in it but as a child of God, he had to obey his wedding vows. _I promise to forever love you and always be by your side. _He was fulfilling his duty to be by her side. Maybe this was his way to justify his trip to see Cameron. He turned into the parking lot just as it began to rain. It was pouring by the time he got to the terminal. Within an hour, Chase was on a plane to Chicago.

* * *

Cameron was hiding in the restroom. It was something she hadn't done since her dad fought with her mom when she was little. She was scared of Tim. He never yelled at her before. Her tears had dried and there were streaks across her face. She examined herself in the mirror. Cameron's normally blue-green eyes were red and swollen.

"ALLISON, COME OUT OF THE BATHROOM." Tim's voice was scaring her. She opened the door to face her beet red angry fiancé. He was boiling with anger.

"How could you invite your fucking ex-husband to our house? He's the guy that broke your heart. Are you really that stupid? You're with me now and ONLY me. What's wrong with you?" He called her stupid. She couldn't handle this anymore. Before she could speak, he began to yell at her again.

"You know what Allison, you're nothing but trouble. We're only getting married because I had a baby with you. Isn't that was you wanted? Now our son is dead because of you." Tim was raging.

"SHUT UP. It's not my fault my son is dead." Cameron burst into tears again. He was making her cry.

"He's not just your son Allison, he was mine too." Tim's voice softened at the sight of her crying. Cameron knew this wasn't how she how she planned on telling him, or if she was ever going to tell him, but Tim needed to know.

"He's not your son." Cameron's voice was barely a whisper. She could see Tim's face hardening again.

"What?"

"I said, he's not your son."

Tim lifted his fist and punched her straight in the face.

* * *

**Thank you for reading! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: All the characters (except the ones that I invented) belong to House MD and FOX**

* * *

I would like to thank Thania for being my beta for this chapter and making the dialogue sound 100000 times better. Also, for anyone who is new to this fanfiction, this story is set at the closing scene of the season finale of House MD (Everybody Dies) so the actions in this ff are completely plausible :)

* * *

Chapter 4: When I see you again

* * *

Chase clutched onto his duffel bag as he maneuvered through the busy Chicago airport. He could not help but feel excited to see Cameron again. The last time he was here was during a Christmas party at her parents' house. He remembered the smell of fresh snow and pine needles during the welcoming holiday season. As he exited the airport terminal, a breeze of wind greeted him. He had forgotten how cold it was in Chicago. He hailed a taxi and gave the driver the directions to Cameron's house.

* * *

Cameron was still locked up in the restroom. This time with a bag of frozen peas against her face. After Tim punched her, he presumably drove off to a bar. Probably to drink his anger away, Cameron thought. She wanted nothing more than to hug her son. But she could no longer do just that. She remembered how cold his skin felt. She remembered the lifeless blue of his eyes just before she closed them to lay to rest. She remembered when the paramedics had come to their house. She remembered the infant sized body bag... Cameron began to cry again, feeling all alone in this world.

An hour later, Cameron heard the front door open. Tim was back and most likely drunk. By this time Cameron was no longer crying. She had washed her face and put on clean clothes.

"Allison, help me. Come here baby, I feel like throwing up," Tim's words were slurred. Cameron wondered how he'd made it home alive. She looked at her fiancé. The man who had punched her hours ago was now begging for her help. Refusing to acknowledge Tim's presence, Cameron got up and retreated to their room. Moments later she heard heavy breathing behind her and suddenly everything went black.

The sound of knocking woke Cameron up. She opened her eyes to face the familiar ceiling of her room. She looked around and found herself in bed naked. She couldn't remember what had happened. As she got up, she noticed Tim staring at her. He was smiling.

"What happened?" Cameron asked, shocked.

"I helped you," Tim replied.

"Helped me?"

"Your loud moaning suggested you enjoyed it," Tim smirked. It took Cameron less than a moment to realize that they'd had sex while she'd been passed out. Tim had raped her, she realized with disbelief. The knocking became louder and louder.

"Are you going to get that?" Tim's eyes gleamed in satisfaction. Cameron wrapped the sheets around her as he came over. He held her face and began to kiss her. This wasn't like the usual passionate kisses he gave her. The feeling of his lips was hard and cold. She tried to pull away from his grasp but his hands were firmly gripped on her, almost violently. It wasn't until moments later that he released her.

"That would be your ex-husband's sorry ass at the door. I don't care what you say but he was my son. And you belong to me you dirty whore," Tim's voice was laced with anger. Cameron tightened her grip on the sheets around her. The knocking on the door had stopped just as her phone began to ring. She tried to fix her hair and went to greet Chase. When she opened the door, his face went from excitement to horror and then to embarrassment.

"Oh, um…sorry Allison, did I interrupt you?" Chase's face burned bright red at the sight of her attire. Cameron looked down to see her body wrapped tightly in her sheets and assumed her hair was a tangled mess.

"Robert… It's-not what you think," Cameron tried to explain but she didn't know how to tell her ex-husband that her fiancé had just raped her. Awkwardly she continues, "Come in. I'll show you the guest room."

* * *

Chase felt his face instantly flush red when she opened the door. Judging by her appearance, Chase assumed he just interrupted an intimate moment between Cameron and her fiancé. She had changed a lot since he last saw her. Her long blonde hair had been replaced with a tousled burgundy color, reminding him of the brunette he had met nine years ago. When he stepped into the house, Cameron's fiancé appeared by her side. Chase felt himself blush again, sure that he had just interrupted them now. Chase looked at Cameron and remembered the first time they'd slept together. She'd been high on meth and upset after a HIV patient coughed blood on her. Sex must be her coping mechanism, Chase thought. After her son died, it made sense that Cameron would want to be comforted in the arms of another.

"I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you. I'm Robert," Chase held out his hand to Cameron's fiancé.

"Tim."

The exchange was awkward. Chase's hand was still in midair waiting for Tim to shake it. Turning red again, Chase dropped his hand in embarrassment. Of course he was unwelcome in the eyes of Cameron's fiancé. Chase remembered how during the length of their short engagement, he would immediately become jealous of any man who laid eyes on Allison. Tightening his grip on his duffel bag, he followed Cameron to the guest room. The house was bigger than he had previously imagined. It took three flights of stairs to reach his room. Unlike the condo Chase had shared with Cameron, the house was cold and unwelcoming. Everything looked black and white and just too perfect. There were no pictures or reminders of happy memories on the walls. It was as if neither Cameron nor her fiancé had put time into decorating the house.

"Robert? If you need anything just press two on the intercom. Meet me downstairs when you're settled in. I need to talk to Tim first." Cameron said, not looking at him.

Chase took a step toward Cameron and unthinkingly pulled her into a tight hug. She responded immediately. He could hear her quiet sobs as he stroked her hair. Although Chase knew Cameron was behaving like this because of her son's death, he couldn't help but miss the feeling of this beautiful woman in his arms. After what seemed like much too long than they should have been in each other's arms, but not long enough to Chase, they broke apart.

"Let me know if you need anything. It's good to see you again." And with that, Cameron left and closed the door.

Chase turned and looked at the room. It was strikingly similar to that of a hotel room. The whole house was so unlike the style of Cameron. Chase knew she loved to choose out which paintings and what color sheets for each room. Before he could settle in, his phone vibrated in his pocket. Without looking at the caller ID, he answered.

"Robert Chase."

"Hey Chase, it's Foreman. How are things in Chicago?"

Chase felt relieved to hear Foreman's voice. After being caught in between Cameron and her fiancé, all he needed was the feeling of comfort. Chase grinned at the thought of finding Foreman comforting.

"It was good to see Cameron again. God I've missed her. Their house is beyond gigantic. Can't wait to tell you about at when I get back." Chase chuckled. He sounded like a ten-year-old excited about a huge mansion.

"Can't wait to hear," Foreman's voice was dripping with sarcasm. "The hospital has been busy since you left. I've been asking Adams and Park to help around in the clinic. Taub has even taking a break from fixing boobs and coming in to help around in your department."

"Taub? Little Taub?" Chase laughed, strangely at ease now. "What's the thing going to do anyways? Slither around in tight spaces to find old gloves and bandages?"

"Haha, very funny. We're dressing him up as an elf to read books to children in the oncology department tomorrow," Foreman's sense of humor was beginning to show. Chase was glad that they no longer argued as they used to under House's fellowship.

"I have a date with Adams next week," Chase smiled at the mention of her name.

"You dog! Get at 'em Chase. I'm glad you decided to stop sleeping with every woman you meet and man up for once," Foreman's laughter and tone had Chase laughing too.

"I'm going to have to grow up one day, might as well start now. Hey man, I have to meet Cameron downstairs in a bit. I'll call you tomorrow to update you."

"Don't party too hard Chase, you've got patients waiting for you to come back. Good night buddy." With that said Chase hung up and jumped into the bed.

* * *

Cameron closed the door to the guest room and continued to sob quietly. It had been a while since anyone had held her like that. So gentle and so tender… She walked back downstairs and into her room. Cameron found her clothes and quickly put them on, scanning the room for Tim. Where was he? She heard the front door slam. She rushed to the window and saw Tim driving away. _Round two at the bar,_ she thought. The bed was a mess. Clothes were thrown on several pieces of furniture and Cameron could see a pillow wedged between the bed frame and the nightstand. Her body ached as she tried to rearrange the room. Giving up, she settled for a cup of tea in the kitchen. As the water started to boil, she heard Chase's soft thumping down the stairs.

"Hey Allison," he hesitated, "how are you feeling?" Chase's warm smile comforted her.

"To be honest, a hell of a lot better now that you're here. Thank you again for coming." Cameron smiled at him. Her first genuine smile all day. She pulled out another cup from the cabinet. "Do you want a cup of coffee?"

He nodded. Cameron noticed Chase staring at her. She blushed. He still made her blush to this day.

"One sugar and no creamer right?" Chase's mouth opened as if he was surprised to find that she still remembered how he liked his coffee.

"You have a nice house, Allison." Cameron was caught off guard. She had assumed that since Chase grew up in a wealthy family, the size of this house would make him feel at home.

"Yeah, Tim's parents bought it for him. Furnished and everything. He likes it like this," Cameron waved her hands in the air to acknowledge the simplicity and emptiness of the house.

"It's a nice house." Cameron couldn't tell if Chase was lying. "How's it going at work?"

"Fine, I don't get to work as much anymore. Tim doesn't let me. He wants me to quit my job to stay at home with…" Cameron stopped abruptly. She didn't have a son anymore. She could feel the tears forming in her eyes. She looked down at her tea and could sense Chase coming over.

"It's going to be okay, Allison. I know you. You're a fighter. Strong. Independent." Chase's words were soothing but she began to sob. She felt his arms wrap around her.

Cameron cried in Chase's arms. She didn't deserve his kindness. Impulsively, she looked up at him. "Distract me," her voice cracked.

Chase looked into her eyes. "But Tim…"

"He's not home, just distract me." Just as she finished speaking, his mouth was on hers.

* * *

Hope you guys liked it! Stay tuned for Chapter 5!


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: Thank you so much for all the reviews, follows and favorites. And of course thank you to Thania for being an amazing beta and making this story all the better. Once again for anyone new to this fanfiction, this story is set at the ending scene of the series finale so all actions in the ff are completely plausible :)

Disclaimer: All characters (except the ones I invented) belong to House MD and Fox

* * *

Chapter 5: Matters over Java

* * *

Chase woke up tangled in foreign sheets and with a familiar weight on his left arm. He turned to see Cameron sleeping peacefully in his arms, her calmness in that moment reminded him of the woman she was years ago. The one that had showed up on his doorstep the Monday night he was fired and had declared her love for him. The woman that cared more for her patients than she did for herself. Chase slowly moved his arm, careful not the wake her. He sat up on the bed, replaying through his mind what had just happened.

Chase remembered how the kiss had started, hard and fast with passion. Her mouth had crashed into his with a burning flame. He could feel her grief and sorrow with every movement of her lips. Eventually the kiss had softened, inevitably causing everything that happened afterward. Cameron stirring in her sleep interrupted his thoughts.

"Chase…? What time is it?" Chase turned to face Cameron. Her green eyes flickered from the daylight peeping through the cracks of the curtains.

"It's morning. How did you sleep?"

"Wonderful. Tim…" Chase could hear the fear in her voice. "Tim didn't come back did he? He didn't..." Her voice trailed off as she realized what had happened last night.

"No he didn't. Listen Allison, you were in pain and your fiancé left the house. What we did last night-"

"Robert stop, you don't have to justify what happened last night. I wanted it," Cameron said slowly. "Thank you for distracting me." She looked up at Chase and placed a kiss and his cheek. "He would have loved you."

Chase turned to face Cameron, confused. "Tim?"

"No, my son." Chase saw her eyes glow at the mention of her son.

He smiled down at her. "What was his name?"

"James, James Robert." Cameron blushed at the mention of her son's name. "Named him after…"

"Your two ex-husbands. What did Tim have to say about that?" Chase chuckled at the thought of Cameron telling Tim she wanted to name their son after her former husbands.

"Hey!" Cameron playfully slapped Chase's arm. "I like to think of it as the two men who made a difference in my life. They just happened to be two people I married. Tim doesn't know. I never mentioned your name or James'. He doesn't care to hear much about my past. Actually... he never even asked me much about my past," Cameron sighed.

"Want to talk about it over coffee?"

"Um, yeah! Yeah sure I would love to. I know this beautiful coffee shop just around the block. But I'm pretty sure they require us to put on clothes to go in," Cameron jokingly pointed to their lack of attire.

Chase threw a pillow at her and laughed. "I gotta call Foreman too. He wants updates."

"Foreman?!" Cameron began to laugh, "You've been talking to Foreman about me? What does he know about death and love and babies, anyway?"

"He's back together with Thirteen."

"Are you serious? I've missed so much since I was gone. We have to talk about this over coffee. Get out so I can change." Cameron threw the pillow back at Chase but he began to kiss her again.

* * *

When she finally got Chase to leave, Cameron was left feeling ecstatic and hopeful. Not a feeling she ever thought she would feel after a death of a loved one. With Tim, there was structure, coldness, and little emotion. But with Chase, she felt free. Part of her wanted to run away with Chase, but she knew she couldn't leave Tim. Not after what he had done for her. Cameron stared at herself in the mirror. Her mousy brown hair stuck out in weird angles. She missed her blonde hair... She remembered the day she'd dyed it blonde right before a date with Chase. He was shocked when he'd come to pick her up that night. Worried that he didn't like it, she'd started to tear up as he had lifted her up in his arms and told her how beautiful she looked. They didn't make it to their reservation that night, but stayed the night in her apartment instead. Cameron smiled at the bittersweet memory.

By the time she'd styled her hair and put on some clothes, Chase was already waiting outside her room door. He was dressed in layers of jackets, two scarves and a beanie. Cameron took one look at his attire and began to laugh.

"I know its cold in Chicago but it't only November, not time for the winter season with yet." Cameron continued to laugh as she took off one of his jackets and unwrapped a scarf.

"Didn't know you were into stripping now," Chase joked.

"Very funny. Come on, the coffee shop is only around the corner. We can walk there."

Chase held out his arm and Cameron responded by looping hers around his. She looked at his eyes. They seemed bluer since she had left Princeton. His eyes were like the ocean, iridescent and flecked with every shade of blue.

* * *

They made small talk on the way to the shop. Chase told Cameron about the cases he and his team have encountered since House passed away.

"Do you miss him?" Cameron asked as they entered the coffee shop.

"Who? House? Sometimes. I miss him making fun of Taub's height, my accent and him joking around with Wilson. It's different without House. Cases don't seem as interesting. How's the ER treating you?" The strong scent of coffee lingered through the shop. The store was a quaint but elegant little place. Chase looked around and saw that there were no two same pieces of furniture. All the cups and plates seemed to be mismatched and the decor was far from simple. No wonder Cameron loved this place, Chase thought, it was her style. The coffee shop bore a slight resemblance to the condo he and Cameron had once shared, every wall a different color and odd shaped cups in the cabinets.

"Same as any other ER. One minute all you hear are soft and steady beeps and the next minute paramedics are bring in two injured people with a pole stuck through both of them. Keeps my mind occupied, though." Cameron grabbed two menus and handed one to Chase.

"So what's good here?"

"I usually get the chai latte but the mocha is really good too."

Chase turned to the cashier. "A mocha and a chai latte for the lady," he took out his wallet and faced Cameron. "My treat."

Cameron couldn't help but smile, he was forever the gentleman. They found a table nearby and their drinks were soon ready. Chase took a large sip. He was instantly surprised by the taste. It was amazing. He had never tasted a mocha that was so chocolatey yet still retained a strong coffee flavor.

"This is amazing. How did you find this place?"

Cameron laughed. "It's a funny story actually. The night I left…" Cameron's tone changed and she stopped, realizing what she was about to say. Chase urged her to continue. "The night I left Princeton, I flew to Chicago. It was late and I was hungry so when I saw that the shop was still open, I asked the taxi driver to stop here. I guess it isn't much of a funny story." Cameron nervously smiled at looked at Chase.

"It's a beautiful story. That's what I call fate. So tell me about your son." Chase took another sip of his coffee.

"James…James is-was the best thing that ever happened to me. You know how Tim is. He comes home yelling at me, sometimes he yelled at James too. But James never cried. He was charming and everyone loved him. My parents were so happy when I told them I was pregnant. Tim was excited too. Everything was finally perfect in life until the day James was born. I got into a huge fight with Tim over how the nursery should look. He stomped out and probably out of all that stress, my water broke. He wasn't even there for James's birth." Cameron wiped away the tears forming in her eyes.

"You don't have to keep going if you don't want to. We can talk about something else." Chase wanted to put his arms around and comfort Cameron but he knew it wasn't his privilege anymore.

"No, no it's fine. I feel better talking about it. Anyway, after James was born, Tim began to work later and come home reeking of alcohol. But he was a good father to my son. My parents came every weekend to help out and life was disgustingly happy." Cameron heard Chase chuckle at her words. "So what's going on over at Princeton?"

"Well you already know about Wilson's cancer and House dying. Did you know House and Cuddy really hit it off for awhile?"

"Really? Where is she? I didn't see her at the funeral." Cameron was shocked to hear that House and Cuddy finally got together.

"That's actually a story worth telling. At the end of their relationship, House drove a car into her dining room. She resigned the next day and moved to Los Angeles. Haven't heard from her since but Foreman still keeps in touch." Chase wondered if Cameron still harbored feelings for House.

"Wow. Slow down. House and Cuddy together? Who would have thought they would actually end up together. I mean, there's obviously sexual tension but I thought she was into mature men like Lucas." Cameron was still in shock and denial. "And why did House drive a car into Cuddy's dining room? And why Los Angeles?"

"Don't ask me, but Los Angeles is nice and sunny. Reminds me of Aus." Chase remembered the time he went to Australia with Cameron for their honeymoon. Two blissful weeks with nothing but sun, surfing and sweet love.

"Do you go back to Australia often to see your sister?" Cameron took another sip of her chai latte. Chase smiled at the mention of his sister.

"Last time I went back was when House was in jail. A whole year of surfing and girls. Sometimes both at the same time," Chase chuckled.

Cameron cringed slightly, yet noticeably, at Chase's mention of girls. It made her uncomfortable to think of him with other girls although she herself had moved on. It was wrong of her not realize Chase would have to move on eventually. Impulsively, she asked Chase a long awaited question.

"So any interesting girls lately?"

"Actually yeah. You've met Adams right?" Cameron nodded. She was a pretty brunette doctor that had worked with House. "Well she's part of the diagnostics team and we're planning to go on a date next week—unless you'd like me to stay longer then I can always push back the date."

Cameron was slightly annoyed that Chase was talking about dates after last night. She knew he cared about her but it was foolish to think that he still loved her after she had left him. "No, it's fine. You can go back to Princeton anytime. But I would really like if you could stay for a few days to help with the funeral plans."

"Of course. Anything you want," Chase stared into Cameron's eyes. She seemed to be bothered by something other than what happened to her son.

"So what's up with Foreman and Thirteen?" Cameron finished the last of her latte and looked up to see Chase staring at her.

"What? Oh Foreman." Chase was shaken from a deep thought by Cameron's voice. "He told me that they were-" His phone started to ring. Chase looked at the caller ID and laughed. "Speaking of the devil, Foreman's calling. I'll put him on speaker."

"Hey, Chase buddy! Your team has a patient and I called to tell you that I'll be overseeing this case." Foreman's voice boomed from the phone.

"Foreman, are you screwing Thirteen again?!" Cameron yelled into the phone as Chase burst out laughing.

"Cam? Hey Cameron is that you? How you holding up? I'm sorry to hear about what happened. If you need anything or you need to the wombat to stay longer just let me know."

Now it was Cameron's turn to burst out laughing. "I'm fine Foreman. Still in the stage of denial I guess. And also, first, Chase is not a wombat and second, you didn't answer my question."

"No I am not 'screwing' Thirteen. I'm dating her. There's a difference."

"Yeah Foreman, big difference," Chase chimed in. "Thanks for taking the case. I'll let you know when I'm coming back. See you later boss."

"Okay, I'll call to update you on the patient. Take care of Cameron. Talk to you later."

Chase hung up as Cameron's phone began to ring. She picked up her phone and Chase watched her expression change from worried, to shocked, horrified, and finally annoyed. When she hung up she looked at Chase with a grave expression.

"Tim's drunk and passed out at his friend's house. The friend wants me to come over to take Tim home."

Chase drank the last of his mocha, stood up and held out his hand. "Well then m'lady, looks like we're going on a rescue mission."

Cameron couldn't help but laugh.

* * *

Hope you guys liked it! Leave a review and stay tuned for Chapter 6!


End file.
